PSB beat IOC 2-0 to lift title

Jalandhar, Nov 15 (UNI) Punjab and Sindh Bank (PSB) clinched the title in the 23rd Surjit Hockey Tournament defeating Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) 2-0 in the final here today.

The showdown between two star-studded teams began on a fast note but could not generate much momentum. Oilmen showed urgency and attacked in the very first minute as their forwards made a collective raid at the rival citadel. They earned a penalty corner but failed to convert.

Soon after the PSB players charged and Parminder Singh made a fine move from the left flank. He advanced into the circle surpassing the IOC defenders but was wrongly obstructed by the goalkeeper thus earning a penalty corner for the bankers.

Mandeep Singh utilised the corner in opening the team's account (1-0).

Charged with the lead, the bank players mounted pressure and intensified the assaults against the Oilmen. They doubled the lead in the 17th minute when Baljit Singh Chandi scored a brilliant field goal from the right flank.

This second goal consolidated PSB's hold. In the reamining part of the first half both teams made bids but without further success.

After the breather, the PSB team switched to defensive mode whereas IOC players made frequent moves and assaults but without any success.

Although the IOC team playing with several international stars including Deepak Thakur, Prabhjot Singh, Deedar Singh worked hard but they could not generate the momentum, which was evident in the semi-final against the Punjab Police here yesterday.

With this, PSB re-captured the title after a gap of one year while last year's runners up IOC missed an opportunity to lift the winners trophy for the second successive year.

IOC was beaten by Indian Air Lines in the final of the tournament last year. Indian Airlines did not participate in the tournament this year.

The winners were awarded with cash prize of Rs One Lakh and the trophy while the runners up got Rs 60,000 and a trophy.

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